New licensing terms for Windows Vista are a shocker.

[MplsBob]

There is new material in the Vista liscensing agreement that has just become public.


This is from the new licensing "agreement" that will accompany Windows Vista.

Before you use the software under a license, you must assign that license to one
device (physical hardware system). That device is the "licensed device."

====== Later in the same document

You may "reassign the license to another device one time"
or "make a one time transfer of the software, and this agreement, directly to a third party."

Did you see that "one time" stuff?

This is from a ZDNet article


Presumably making changes in your computer such as motherboard, processor, disk drives, etc could trigger this since you would then have a "different computer", at which point, presumably, Microsoft would inform you that you have an unlicensed copy of their software and would seriously cripple your computer.

This stuff had to have been written by some idiot who never, ever, had his hands in the bowels of a PC, so they don't have a clue as to what the ramifications are to what they have just said.

 

[Fishy007]

If this is correct, then I can't even think about upgrading to Vista. My career is in IT and I would typically re-install the OS every 3-4 months to test new hardware/start with a clean slate. XP made that easy with the volume license copies that I got through my company. I didn't have to activate it every time I re-installed.

While this bs move by MS might be acceptable for people who buy disposable PCs, it's going to cripple everyone else. Can you imagine what would happen when I go to someone's home to change some bad RAM and it kills the PC?

 

[EBH]

If you overhaul your computer by replacing a substantial number of hardware components, it may appear to be a different PC. You may have to reactivate Windows XP. If this should occur, you can call the telephone number displayed on the activation screen to reactivate the software.

this will most likley be the case for vista as well

internaly here at microsoft you can do this on all products

You can reuse a product key under the following conditions:

The product key is not currently activated on a system.
30 days have elapsed since the product key was activated on a system.
You are activating the product key on the operating system and edition for which it was designated.
If the computer for which the product key was previously activated has now been rebuilt and renamed (or discarded), you can give that computer's original name to your new computer and activate the product key on the new computer.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Buy Acronis True Image and use images instead of fresh installs, for temporary swapping of anything besides the motherboard, or for regainig that "new Windows smell."

I used 3 different graphics cards and 3 different secondary hard drives in one XP machine without needing to reactivate it, so I'd guess this won't affect more than a small fraction of the few Vista owners that upgrade their machines.

 

[Trevelyan]

So you have to tie your Vista to a specific piece of hardware?

That's ridiculous. There is no hardware in my computer that won't be replaced in 9-12months. So basically, when hardware become obsolete, you lose your Vista license?

Give me a break. This is their answer to piracy? Punish those people who legitametely buy your software?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Trevelyan
So you have to tie your Vista to a specific piece of hardware?

No, a "hardware system" just like activation in XP.

This license isn't something to get over-excited about. Save your outrage for media DRM enforcement, or the puppies that Vista bludgeons to death when no one is looking.

 

[jones377]

Can you tie the licence to the floppy drive?

 

[Trevelyan]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: Trevelyan
So you have to tie your Vista to a specific piece of hardware?

No, a "hardware system" just like activation in XP.

This license isn't something to get over-excited about. Save your outrage for media DRM enforcement, or the puppies that Vista bludgeons to death when no one is looking.

So what exactly is the difference between this and XP?

I never complained about XP activation because if I had a legit copy, all I had to do was call Microsoft if there was a problem activating. From what I remember, there was no limit to how many upgrades you could do without voiding your license.

 

[Seekermeister]

i really don't care exactly how Microsoft impliments this, because it's something like politics, where the politicians will "leak" a policy change, just to see how it flies with the public. Since I'm not a fan of this kind of tactics, I'll simply keep my old Windows...and Linux. When companies get the idea, that it doesn't pay to jerk the public around, maybe they will finally start doing business more reasonably. This is something like renting a house, no matter how long you have lived there, and how much you have paid for that privilege, you never gain any rights. It's like Microsoft owns everybody's computer and we simply are renters.

 

[MplsBob]

the puppies that Vista bludgeons to death

I didn't know they did that. They are more awful than I had ever imagined.

How about orphans and the homeless? Are they really nasty to them? and what about all the little woodland creatures?

Why it is almost too much to imagine, those brutes! And then they get all high and might just because a bloke makes thlrty or forty million copies of Office to give to his close personal friends. They've got no sense of proportion, that's whots wrong with them.

 

[MplsBob]

So what exactly is the difference between this and XP?

That is spelled out in the article I referenced in the original post.

Here it is again: ZDNet article

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Trevelyan

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: Trevelyan
So you have to tie your Vista to a specific piece of hardware?

No, a "hardware system" just like activation in XP.

So what exactly is the difference between this and XP?

I never complained about XP activation because if I had a legit copy, all I had to do was call Microsoft if there was a problem activating. From what I remember, there was no limit to how many upgrades you could do without voiding your license.

My guess is that in practice it will work exactly like XP, and this just makes it clear that selling used copies with a paperclip or floppy drive is not legal.

Edit: reading the article, the main difference is that a retail license (vs. OEM) now only allows one transfer to a completely different PC instead of unlimited moves. Upgrades to one PC might force you to call MS at some point but this is about moving to a new PC.

 

[Markbnj]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons

Originally posted by: Trevelyan
So you have to tie your Vista to a specific piece of hardware?

No, a "hardware system" just like activation in XP.

This license isn't something to get over-excited about. Save your outrage for media DRM enforcement, or the puppies that Vista bludgeons to death when no one is looking.

/thread

 

[MplsBob]

Several of you might want to go back and actually read the article referenced in the original post. There is a substantial difference between the terms for Vista and the terms for XP.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: Seekermeister
i really don't care exactly how Microsoft impliments this, because it's something like politics, where the politicians will "leak" a policy change, just to see how it flies with the public. Since I'm not a fan of this kind of tactics, I'll simply keep my old Windows...and Linux. When companies get the idea, that it doesn't pay to jerk the public around, maybe they will finally start doing business more reasonably. This is something like renting a house, no matter how long you have lived there, and how much you have paid for that privilege, you never gain any rights. It's like Microsoft owns everybody's computer and we simply are renters.

MS will never own my computer, I and only I own it. I own my copy of XP. If they come knocking wanting my system or OS they ain't gonna get it

 

[DaveSimmons]

Most people here buy OEM XP instead of retail, which is already limited to one "hardware system." So OEM Vista won't be any different.

Of the few that buy Retail versions of an OS, not many move them to a completely new "hardware system" more than once in several years, so again no big deal.

I do worry about the puppies though.

 

[EBH]

i wouldnt wory too much about it

just call ms and tell them your upgrading your machine and they will let you reactivate

i doubt this will affect most legit system builders

normaly it will assign an id based off a mac address

 

[F1shF4t]

What always gets me is, well i have two computers which I and I only use so why should i buy two copies of windows for them, when i'm the only one who uses them.

 

[50cent1228]

wow that is preety crazy

 

[50cent1228]

wow that is preety crazy

 

[Schadenfroh]

Almost as crazy as your double post being 26 minutes apart.

 

[L00ker]

I dunno why not just get a USB device like some kind of thumb drive to "license"? it's not like that piece of hardware would be much of a hassle to move around... just a thought

 

[xtknight]

So I can change the motherboard and CPU once in my system, but for any more changes I will have to get a new license of Vista?

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: L00ker
I dunno why not just get a USB device like some kind of thumb drive to "license"? it's not like that piece of hardware would be much of a hassle to move around... just a thought

hmm yeah I wonder if you can specify what hardware, and if so what hardware you can link it to....
interesting thought.

 

[MrChad]

EDIT: nm